ECOT, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, is a virtual charter school that was a ash cow for its owner, William Lager, until the Ohio Department of Education got the novel idea to audit attendance.
It learned that ECOT has inflated enrollments and has charged the state for students who turn on their computer but don’t participate in learning.
ECOT has fought the State I Court and lost repeatedly. Over the past 15 years, ECOT’s founder has given a few million to elected officials and has received about one billion return.
Bill Phillis of theIhio Cpalitionfor Equity and Adequacy has been fighting the squalid charter sector for years.
He reports here onghe latest. Ourtbloss for ECOT:
“Another Court ruling against ECOT
“In a 5-1 decision today the Ohio Supreme Court denied ECOT’s request for an injunction. ECOT was attempting to stop the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) from deducting $2.5 million from its monthly payments in order to collect $60 million it overcharged in 2015-2016.
“ECOT’s claim that ODE erred in its decision to reclaim funds for students not served is still pending before the Ohio Supreme Court. Scheduling of oral arguments in the case has not been announced.
“ECOT has lost all of its many claims before hearing officers and courts thus far. It is interesting; however, that Justice Terrance O’Donnell has always sided with ECOT.”
William L. Phillis | Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding | 614.228.6540 | ohioeanda@sbcglobal.net| http://www.ohiocoalition.org
Ohio E & A, 100 S. 3rd Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Diane Ravitch's blog 
They lose in court, but they always win in the Assembly and governor’s office.
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That’s why the 2018 Gubernatorial race is so important. Sen. Joe Schiavoni is a true champion of public education!! #Joe4Ohio
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Most of the state-level Republican politicians promoted this school.
Jeb Bush did too. They pushed it hard in ed reform.
I started to hear bad things about it from parents years ago and even the kids say it’s a joke. They brag about how they don’t have to go to school anymore, like they’ve gotten something over on adults. It’s a cheap model and profitable though- I cannot imagine how much money these people are making with “classes” of 200 students and one teacher, at 7k a kid.
Of course, we’ll never hear another word about it from ed reformers. They dump the worst quality ed reform “innovations” in the midwest. We seem to be the dumping ground for the worst ideas they come up with.
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Betsy DeVos has helpfully weighed in on US students:
“More Betsy DeVos Retweeted TIMSS & PIRLS
After a decade of decline, it’s clearly time for a new approach.”
Good to see they’re hard at work in DC scolding the unwashed masses.
Don’t they have something productive to do?
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This piece is kind of heartbreaking:
“They’re more influential than the IPS school board and the IPS superintendent,” said MaryAnn Schlegel Ruegger, an Indianapolis public schools advocate who has been critical of the Mind Trust’s role.
Now, a Mind Trust–style organization may be coming to a city near you.”
They completely lost their schools in Indianapolis. The whole system is being designed by billionaire-backed “experts” who are rapidly privatizing the whole system.
They keep the district around to manage logistics, but that’s the only role. The elected school board has no role at all. They’ll be phased out shortly- they have no job. No point in paying them.
You wonder what happens if the experiment fails. I guess they install a new set of experts. I know if I were an Indianapolis public school parent I would get out of a public school, or move. They’re clearly being abandoned. They’re the collateral damage.
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For an education blog, this post contains a pretty strong number of typos. Don’t give the heathen any sticks to beat you with. 😉
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Frank,
I write most posts on my cell phone. I am a good speller but the autocorrect garbles my words. I have to do a better job of proofing. Thanks for chastising me.
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Diane make typographical errors with her cell phone, whereas the U.S. Secretary of Education makes full blown spelling and content errors with her brain. Typos mean nothing. Department of Education mistakes reveal a great deal.
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“Squalid” is definitely the right word for this situation.
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